Love Like Winter
by Grand Master Thief
Summary: Sent away to the countryside by their parents because of the war, Charles, Raven and Cain enter Narnia, a magical land frozen in eternal winter. They must assist the creatures that live there to take it back from the evil White Witch and her slaves. Their lives depend on it. However, not all is as it seems. And in the end, when it really matters, will courage be enough? EL/CX


It begins with a well-aimed knife to the stomach. A fine crystal blade twists deep, ripping through his flesh with practiced ease. This torture is nothing new. In all the years spent servicing Jadis, he knows she enjoys this particular activity most.

Irritated by his lack of response, Jadis pushes the blade deeper into his abdomen. Her black eyes are chips of ice that slice through him, her smile mocking as she croons.

"My dear, sweet Erik," she says in a soft tone. A stark white hand rises to brush the bangs off his forehead. Her actions are gentle, maternal even but Erik knows better. He is intimately familiar with the demon that lies beneath the thin membrane of her skin. She is as capricious as the winds. "You know how much I love to hear you scream..."

She twists the blade suddenly and violently. The crystal rips through his entrails, blood gurgling down his body. A sick smile curves her lips and insanity sparks behind her cool eyes.

"So scream."

He does.

* * *

Meanwhile, far off in a different world not so different, Charles and his siblings, Raven and Cain arrive at a house out in the country. Their parents, fearing for their safety, sent them to stay with an old family friend. An established Professor who, after teaching for many years at reputable universities like Oxford, retired and now languishes his days away in the countryside sun. The air raids rarely happen this far away from London. The nearest train station is ten miles away and the post office is two. There aren't any major cities for hundreds of miles. Here they will be relatively protected from the war.

Unmarried and with no other company besides that of his faithful housekeepers, he graciously welcomes them into his rather large home. Mind, it was not nearly as large as their home back in Westchester but it will do. The only one who really complains is Cain. Though that doesn't surprise Charles much. Frankly, Cain acts the most spoiled out of the group. He's always lauding his money and status over their peers much to Charles' chagrin. His superiority complex is getting a tad out of hand.

Charles figures he should probably do something about that, being the older brother and all, but he can't be bothered to waste the breath. Cain is an utter wanker. Nothing he says is going to have any effect on his younger sibling. His advice will just dribble in one ear and out the other like molasses. If anything, he'll most likely start a petty fight. He'd rather avoid doing that. They've only just got here after all.

After they get all their luggage from the boot, the children are greeted at the door by the Professor. He is a portly man, greying lightly at the temple and he has kind eyes. Next to him is the main housekeeper who introduces herself as Ms Grey. Raven takes to the old man immediately, grinning up at him. Charles finds them nice and politely thanks them for such a warm welcome. On the other hand, Cain is a horrid beast you snickers and jeers at them from behind his hand.

On their way in, he whispers to Charles.

"The old goat looks barmy, doesn't he, Charlie?" asks Cain, elbow digging into his older brother's ribs. "And she looks like a mean old cow."

Shooting his brother a disapproving glare, Charles shrugs off his touch. When he responds, his voice is strict and cold.

"Knock it off, Cain. They are being kind enough to welcome us into their home. Show some respect."

Cain huffs and slinks back, distancing himself from the group. He has an ugly expression on his face like someone shoved dung under his nose and asked him to take a long whiff.

Charles pays him no mind, used to his brother's erratic mood swings.

The Professor takes them through a cursory tour before letting Ms Grey show them their rooms. He parts with letting them know that should they need him, they need only come to his office. Charles gets the bedroom right next to the stairwell. A large four poster bed and desk outfit his lodgings with thick curtains that hang from the windows. A few doors down is Cain's room, looking for the most part like Charles' except smaller and without a desk (which Cain throws a fit about but is quickly quelled by Ms Grey's venomous gaze). And lastly, Raven's room is around the corner.

Before leaving them to their own devices, Ms Grey explains if they need towels or sheets to ring the bell. She will get them all they need so they don't go messing up her cupboards.

Thanking her once more, Charles takes over and gets his siblings settled. He makes sure they unpack their belongings and fold their clothes. By the time he finishes setting up his own room, night has fallen and it is very nearly time for bed. He makes his way to Raven's room, stopping to peek in on Cain who is already fast asleep.

He raps his knuckles against her door softly in case she is already in bed.

"Come in," she calls.

Charles pushes open the door and walks into her room. She sits on her bed already dressed in her gown. Her blonde curls are a mess about her head. She's holding a silver hairbrush that she quickly offers up to Charles.

Raven never takes proper care of her hair, always letting it fly about and then complains when it gets ratty. Ever since she was young, Charles takes it upon himself to brush out her hair every night before bed until it is silky and smooth.

He begins gently running it through her hair, working out the knots with patient hands. As he works, he tells her stories of far off places, magic, and knights. Of princes and princesses, good and evil. She follows along, interrupting here and there to ask questions.

Before long, the brush is no longer needed. Charles lays her down and curls up around her, continuing his stories until her eyes grow heavy.

"Charles," she slurs. "Charles, I want to go on adventures like in the stories. I want to be just like them, fighting evil and - "

"Hush now, darling," Charles cooes. His fingers run through Raven's locks, gently working out the new tangles. "I promise we'll have lots of adventures in the morning."

"But Charles - "

He presses a finger to her mouth, smiling indulgently.

"None of that now. It's time for bed. Young girls need their sleep. You don't want to end up like mean old Mrs Fletcher, now do you?"

Mrs Fletcher had been Raven's old school teacher once upon a time. She's a cantankerous old woman who looks like a crone. Her nose is long and hooked, large bags rest under her beady eyes, and her skin has a multitude of wrinkles.

They share a mutual hate for one another.

Raven scrunches her nose at the thought. She would die if she ever turns out like mean old Mrs. Fletcher.

Knowing he's won, Charles busses a kiss against the messy curls. He detangles himself and sits up, tugging the soft blanket over Raven. He tucks her in with a gentle bop on the nose.

Charles laughs as she scowls.

"Goodnight, Darling. If you need me, I'll be just down the hall."

"Can't you stay, Charles? It's lonely and I might get scared…"

"You know I can't. It's not proper. You're to be a young lady soon. You can't very well have your older brother sleeping in the same bed with you."

She looks as though she's going to protest and Charles presses a finger against her lips once more, effectively cutting off anything she was going to say.

"You know it's true, pet. I won't be far," he says. "Just round the corner. You get scared, you come to me and I'll protect you. Got it?"

She looks suspicious, a tiny hand sneaking out of the cocoon of warmth. She holds up her pinkie.

"Promise?" asks Raven, brows furrowed and mouth pursed.

After all, pinkie promises mean the world to little children. And they should never ever be broken.

Laughing, Charles holds out his own finger, wrapping it around his younger sister's. Eyes dancing with merriment, he leans over to press a quick kiss to the back of her hand.

"I promise, dear sister. Now sleep, we've got a long day ahead of us."

Satisfied for the time being, Raven settles down. She watches as Charles sets about blowing out the candle.

"I love you, Charles."

"And I you, poppet. Goodnight," Charles replies.

"Goodnight."

Charles closes the door gently on the image of Raven letting out a mighty yawn, eyes slipping closed. He smiles somberly. His head falls against the wood of her door. He sighs. Tonight will be the first night in a long while where they aren't jolted out of bed half way through the night by the sirens. For once, they will be able to sleep peacefully and stay that way until morning's light.

It all feels a bit surreal. It is a definite weight off of his shoulders, not having to worry about his siblings every minute.

Huffing, Charles lifts his head. He presses a kiss to the pad of his thumb and then presses it to the door.

"Sweet dreams, Darling," Charles whispers. "Rest well."

He turns, making way to his own room. Now that he doesn't have to worry so much, he feels exhausted. A good night sleep will do him wonders.

* * *

Early the next morning, all the children gather around the dining table. Ms Grey tells them that the Professor is busy and will not eat breakfast with them. He sends his regards and hopes they have a lovely day.

Not too disappointed, Charles takes the head of the table. Raven sits to the right of him. Cain, in an act of rebellion, sits at the opposite end. He throws a haughty smirk their way before turning his attention to the newspaper. He sits up straight, the opened pages towering over him.

Charles knows his brother doesn't understand a single word - all of it being about the war and politics - but he carries on, trying to act like an independent adult. The entire look gets ruined by his appearance. His feet barely touch the floor and his jammies are too large. They pool around him. He looks absolutely ridiculous.

Charles chokes on a laugh, having to pretend that he swallows his orange juice wrong.

Raven giggles quietly. Her hands press against her mouth, trying to stifle her amusement. She thinks her other brother is being an idiot. He's always worrying about one upping Charles. He just makes himself look like a fool.

She leans against Charles' chair arm and whispers, "Look, Charles. It's the bloody Queen of England."

A startled gasp escapes Charles' mouth and he quickly slaps his palm over it before a loud chuckle can slip through. His blue eyes water, shoulders shaking with his repressed amusement. He should probably chide Raven for saying something so crude but it is too funny and too true.

"He looks like a stupid peacock," Raven says, sniggering. "Preening away."

"Raven," Charles says, trying not to smile. "Behave."

She looks up at him with large eyes, batting her lashes and pouting.

"Oh, don't pretend to be innocent, you little menace."

Her bottom lip juts out even further.

"I didn't do anything, Charles," says Raven.

Charles shakes his head, grinning wryly. His little sister is such a handful. She's going to give her future husband a hell of a time.

"Shush, he might hear you," he says, glancing down the long table to his sulky little brother. Leaning down, he whispers into Raven's ear. "Even if it is true."

A loud laugh from Raven pulls Cain from his pretend reading. He scowls at them, suspicious. He slaps the newspaper against the table and spears them with his eyes.

"What are you lot laughing at then?" he asks.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Charles says, waving a hand. A badly hidden smile curls the corners of his lips. "Just, ahem, just peacocks."

Cain raises a brow before shaking his head. With a huff he turns back to the newspaper. "That's stupid to laugh about. They aren't even funny."

Charles clears his throat to stop the bubbling chuckles. Raven isn't doing too well of a job. Her hand is pressing against her mouth again and tears are running down her face. She has to lean against the side of Charles' chair to stay upright.

"No, I suppose they aren't. Are they, Raven?"

When she pulls her hands away, they're shaking.

"No, Charles," Raven says with a smirk before descending into hysterics once more. "They're pretty to look at but they're really, really stupid."

Snorting, Charles tries to regain composure but one look at Raven and he can't. A loud, deep laugh slips past. Once he starts, he can't stop until he's in much the same state Raven is. They're leaning against each other and crying. Their bellies and cheeks hurt from laughing so much but they can't stop. This makes them laugh even harder.

Cain rolls his eyes and grumbles about how stupid his siblings are. They have horrible senses of humor if they're laughing about birds of all things. In the end, their laughter is annoying so he hops out of his chair and leaves the room, newspaper curled under his arm.

"I'm going to the drawing-room," Cain says, sticking his nose up in the air. "Come find me once you've composed yourselves."

The door swings shut on another round of laughter.

* * *

After breakfast they all get ready to explore the grounds only to find that there is a steady drizzle of rain, so thick they can't see through the windows.

"Oh no," Raven moans. Her face and hands press against the glass as she tries to see through the rain. "Why did it have to rain?"

Charles comes up behind her and settles a palm against her shoulder. He smiles down at her sadly.

"I'm sorry, Darling. I know you were really excited to go on adventures today," he says. "I'm afraid we'll have to postpone it until another day. This rain doesn't look like it'll let up anytime soon."

"Of course it's raining," Cain snarls. He stomps over to the door, a clouded expression settling on his face. He's a nightmare when things don't go his way. "I never get what I want. It's not fair."

"Oh shove off, Cain," Charles says viciously. His brother's attitude is grating on his nerves. Usually, he has the patience for this sort of thing but not right now. Not with Raven looking so sad and disappointed. "Stop making this about you."

"Nothing is ever about me though! All you care about is your precious little Raven," Cain says, whipping around to throw the nastiest glare he can make at Charles. "You don't give a damn about me."

"Watch your language in front of Raven."

Cain rolls his eyes and grins, all teeth. "Of course, _Mum_. We don't want to upset ickle baby Raven."

Lips thinning into a line, Charles squares his shoulders and takes a step forward. Cain has no right to mention his mother, especially now. Raven is still by the window but now she turns, watching her brothers argue with a frown.

"I have had it up to here with your attitude, Cain," says Charles, blue eyes darkened like a storm at sea. He stops in front of Cain, the smaller boy barely reaching his collar. "Grow up."

He stalks passed his younger brother, clipping his shoulder solidly. Cain yelps, arm coming up to rub at the sore spot where their bodies made contact.

"I don't need to grow up! You do, running away like a coward!" shouts Cain, tears burning the backs of his eyes. He furiously swipes a hand across his face. "You're no man!"

Charles refuses to acknowledge his younger sibling, striding towards his room. His body is a tense line.

"Yeah, that's right, leave like you always do," Cain says bitterly. "We don't need you. We never have."

"Cain, that's enough," Raven says, bottom lip trembling. "Stop it."

He whips around like lightning. His dark eyes narrow on Raven and he takes a menacing step towards her.

"Shut up, you don't know anything."

Raven frowns, standing her ground.

"I know more than you do right now," she says. "I know you need to stop it."

Cain scrubs at his face and rolls his puffy eyes. She's a stupid little girl and she doesn't know what she's talking about.

"Whatever," he says, stomping out of the room.

With a reluctant sigh, Raven follows after her older brothers. They act like the world's biggest idiots sometimes. She only hopes it won't take all day for them to make up. She still wants to have adventures. And everyone knows adventures are no fun when you're by yourself.

It takes a lot of wheedling but finally, after nearly two hours since their argument, Raven convinces them to set aside their differences for now and spend the day with her having fun. Cain puts up the most fight though he gives. Charles on the other hand needs no convincing at all.

With their morning spoiled by the rain, Charles proposes that instead of exploring the grounds, they explore inside. The house is large and has many undiscovered rooms. They should be able to find something of interest.

Cain is still very bitter about their earlier row, keeping to himself but Raven makes up for his lack of enthusiasm as they set about exploring the lower levels of the house. She is bouncing from room to room with a smile on her face. Charles is just happy to see her so joyous and he can't help but grin boyishly.

They don't find much downstairs except for some spare bedrooms and a den. One room is filled with all sorts of portraits and suits of armor. However, their spirits are not dampened and they move on to the second floor.

The bedrooms given to them by the Professor are right after the stairs so they don't bother with them. Walking further down the hall they find a small hallway that leads to a balcony and then a whole series of guest bedrooms, a linen closet and a broom cupboard. There is also a spectacular library lined with very old books.

After dragging Charles away from the study, they look into a room that was empty except for a large wardrobe half covered with a sheet.

"There's nothing here," says Charles. "Let's move on."

Charles and Cain troop out, already on the search for another room to uncover, except for Raven. She stays behind. Curiosity burning like a flame inside her, she looks at the wardrobe and wonders if there is something magical inside.

If she finds it first, she'll be able to keep it.

Hoping the doors aren't locked, she tries and they swing open quite easily. Some moth balls tumble out. Looking inside, she sees several long fur coats hanging. Raven gasps. She's always loved fur, ever since she was very little. She isn't able to remember much before Charles' family adopted her but what she can remember is a woman. She is nice and soft and kind to Raven, always giving her little chocolates when she came to visit.

The thing Raven remembers most about her is her pure white fur coat. She always wore it. Raven likes to pretend that the woman she remembers is her mother. She immediately steps into the wardrobe and surrounds herself with the coats, rubbing her face against the fur and sinking into their warmth. She pretends that her mother is hugging her after a long day of work.

Soon she moves further into the wardrobe and finds another row of coats. Her fingers dance along the coats as she moves further and further into the wardrobe. It's quiet dark so she keeps her arms outstretched so she doesn't bump into the back. She expects to feel woodwork against her fingertips but it never comes.

She keeps making her way forward, forgetting all about the coats around her. She is simply burning with curiosity.

"This is the biggest wardrobe I've ever seen…" she mutters, pushing the soft folds of the coats aside to make room. Then she notices a rather odd sound, like something crunching under her feet as she walks. Confused, Raven leans down to feel what it is. Instead of her hand brushing the wood floor of the wardrobe, she feels something soft and powdery. Her fingers tingle from the cold. "What on earth," she asks.

She steps forward a pace or two. The next moment her hands hit something hard and rough that feels like -

"No, that's not possible," breathes Raven, eyes wide. Her hands scramble forward against what she believes to be bark. "Tree branches in a wardrobe?"

A startled laugh tumbles from her throat and she twirls around, arms outstretched. She finds herself in the middle of a forest at night. Snow is crunching under her shoes and snowflakes are falling through the air. There is a soft light ahead of her, a long way off.

Raven is a little frightened and exhilarated and excited. Her emotions are a mess inside but she knows she never wants to leave this magical place. She looks over her shoulder and there, between a small bower of saplings, she can see the doorway of the wardrobe. Daylight is spilling into the empty room.

"If anything goes wrong, I can just go back to the wardrobe," she thinks. "I'll be fine."

She treks forward through the snow, her footsteps loud crunches as she makes her way through the wood and towards the light. Winds blow lightly, tugging at her hair and clothes but she does not feel the chill. In fact, she feels rather warm. She does not know how long she walks before she reaches the light to find that it is a lamp-post.

Raven stands near it, fingers brushing against the frosty metal and wondering why there's a lamp-post in the middle of a forest. She hasn't the faintest idea of how that would be practical. She doubts anyone travels this deeply into the woods aren't any roads as far as she can see. And if there are, the heavy snowfall covers them completely.

Stumped, she looks around at all the snow and ponders on what she should do next. Surely the others have noticed her absence. Charles will work himself into a fit if he can't find her. He's done it before on their way to school when she slipped away to pet a dog. She doesn't want to imagine his reaction if he finds out she's in a completely different world inside a wardrobe.

She beings to make her way back but stops when she hears snow crunching under feet coming towards her. A strange-looking man-beast steps out from among the trees and into the lamp-post's light.

He is much taller than Raven and holds an umbrella over his head, white with snow. He is a man from the waist up, but his legs are shaped like a goat's (the fur is a glossy deep blue) and he has hooves for feet. A little tail curls out and up at the base of his spine. He is wearing a red scarf around his neck and his skin is tinted a light blue. His face is strange but inviting, with long sideburns and curly hair, all the same shade as the fur on his legs. Peeking out of the hair on his forehead are two twisted horns. Nestled in his free arm are several wrapped parcels.

Raven stares in amazement, her mouth dropping open. She has never seen or read about such a strange creature before. The man-beast stops with a start and yelp when he sees Raven, his parcels tumbling out of his arm and into the snow.

"Oh dear," he exclaims. "W-Who - ?"


End file.
